Automatic switch-throwing apparatus.



T. J. WILSON. AUTOMATIC SWITCH mowme APPARATUS.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 15. I914. 1,185,457, I Patented May 30,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Tm: coLummA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, u. c.

T. J. WILSON. I AUTOMATIC SWITCH'THROWING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15. 1914.

Patented May 30; 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Wm km Mu w T. 1. WILSON.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH THROWING APPARATUS. AFPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

' 1,185,457,. Patented May 30,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

HUN;

rum/14 i oz- T. J. WILSON.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH THROWING'APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1914.

1,185,457. Patented May 30,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

THOMAS J. WILSON, OF SALEM, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH-THROWING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May30, 1916.

Application filed June 15, 1914. Serial No. 845,232.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. WILSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Washington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switch-Throwing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway switches and more particularly to effective and reliable apparatus that will operate automatically to open and close railway switches, the automatic operation being brought about by the cooperation of the mechanism carried by a train with track mechanism that will mechanically operate to shift or throw the switch.

An object of importance is to provide apparatus of the character described that will close a switch and after the train has moved upon the siding open the switch or move it into normal position, said operation being brought about by the train carried mechanism.

Another object of importance is to provide means that will automatically lock the switch in both positions.

Another important object is to provide means to unlock the switch or better the mechanism for throwing the same so that the train carried mechanism will cooperate with the track carried mechanism to throw the switch.

Another object is to provide mechanism of the character described that is of a simple construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and is inexpensive to install and maintain in working condition.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

\Vith reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughout the several views of which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved apparatus showing it attached to a switch and the switch in closed position also the train carried mechanism in diagram in position that it would. assume when a train is approaching the switch, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through one of the track carried devices that isto cooperate with the train carried mechanism and also showing in diagram a portion of the train carried mechanism, said portion being in the. position that it would assume prior to striking or cooperating with the track carried mechanism, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the train carried mechanism, Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the track carried mechanism, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the switch operating mechanism, Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the track mechanisms, and Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken through the operating lever showing the locking means therefor. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism for operating the locking bars for the operating levers.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference and particularly to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates a railwaytrack and 2 the rails of a siding. Switch points 3 are arranged in the usual manner to coact with the tracks 1 and 2. Operatively connected with the switch points 3, after a manner which will be later more fully described. is mechanical switch throwing mechanism designated 4 as an entirety that is operated by track carried operating mechanisms designated 4* and 4 as entireties, said mechanism being arranged on opposite sides of the mechanism 4 and switch points 3 a distance sufliciently to bring about the automatic switch throwing, that will be later more fully described, prior to the engagement of a train with the switch. The mechanisms 4, P, and 4 are arranged outside of the rails and along side of the siding track 2. A plurality of shafts serve to connect the mechanisms 4* and 4 with the throwing mechanism 4, said shafts to be later more fully described. Train carried mechanism designated 4 as an entirety is carried preferably upon the locomotive in such manner that it will be accessible to some member of the trains crew. This mechanism is arranged to cooperate with the mechanism 4& and 4 to bring about the operation of the switch throwing mechanism 1 and subsequent throwing of the switch into open and closed position.

The switch throwing mechanism 1 consists of a gear wheel 5 that is rotatably mounted upon a horizontal shaft 6 which is journaled transversely in a rectangular housing or casing 7. The housing or casing 7 is suitably secured along side of the track and adjacent to the switch points 3. The end wall of the housing 7 adjacent to the switch point 3 is provided with a vertical slot 8 through which an operating rod 9 extends. The operating rod 9 is pivoted at its forward end to a connecting rod 10 as at 11, said connecting rod being suitably connected at its other end as at 12 with the switch points 3, the switch points being connected with each other in the usual manner. The inner end of the rod 9 is bifurcated and the arms produced by said bifurcations are pivoted as at 13 to and on either side of the gear wheel 5 and adjacent to the periphery thereof. The gear wheel 5 is provided on either face and adjacent to one side of each face with a concavity 14 which has the outer portion thereof that is arranged adjacent to the periphery of the gear, provided with a plurality of beveled gear teeth 15 which cover approximately half of the circumference of the gear 5. A rod 16 is pivoted as at 17 at one end to the periphery of the gear 5 at a point opposite to the pivot 13 and extends through an opening 18 formed in the adjacent end wall of the casing. This rod 16 is designed to be connected with signaling apparatus, not shown, so that the condition of the track may be signaled to the train crew.

Beveled gears 19 and 20 that are keyed on the ends of horizontal shafts 21 and 22 are arranged to mesh with the beveled gear teeth 15 on the opposite sides of the gear '5. so that when the shafts 21 and 22 are rotated the gear 5 will be rotated and the rod 9 will be pushed or pulled as the case may be dependent .on the direction of rotation of the gear and the switch will be operated so as to move into open'or closed position. The shaft 21 is arranged approximately parallel to the track, journaled in suitable bearings 23 and at its other end 'operatively connected with the operating "mechanism P after a manner to be later more fully described.

The shaft 22 is provided at its end with a beveled gear 24 which meshes with a bevel 25 keyed on one end of the shaft 26, said shaft 26 extending at right angles to the shaft 22 and being provided at its other end with a bevel 27 The bevel 27 meshes with a bevel 28 keyed on the outer end of a shaft 29 which extends at right angles to the shaft 26 and is operatively connected with the mechanism 4* after a manner which will be later more fully described. The arrangement of angularly disposed shafts is necessary that the mechanism 1 be positioned adjacent to the track 1 and the switch throwing mechanism be sufliciently spaced to bring about the successful operation of the switch. The shafts 22, 26 and 29 are all journaled in suitable bearings 30 that are similar to the ones 23.

The mechanisms 1 and 4 are similar and it is thought necessary to describe only one of them. In this instance the one et being chosen. The mechanism 4 consists of an approximately rectangular housing or casing 31 having mounted therein a trip lever 32 that is pivoted on a suitable shaft 33 mounted within the casing or housing and provided on its lower end with a toothed integrally formed segment 31. The upper end of the trip lever 32 i's extended beyond the housing 31 through a slot formed in the top wall of the housing. The lever 32 is arranged adjacent to one end of the housing and said end is enlarged and provided with a curved upper wall 36 in which the slot 35 is formed. The curved upper wall 36 is secured at its ends to lateral and right angularly extending flanges 37 formed 'on the opposite side walls of the casing or housing. That portion of the trip lever 32 which extends upwardly beyond the curved 'wall 36 and through the slot 35 is designed to be engaged by the train carried mechanism 4", after a manner which will be later more fully described.

Mounted longitudinally of the casing or housing 31in suitable bearings is a shaft 38 that has keyed on one end a gear 39 which meshes with the toothed segment 34. The other end of the shaft 38 has keyed thereon a beveled gear 40 which in turn meshes with the beveled gear -11 that is keyed on the inner end of the shaft 29 or 21 as the case may be. said shaft being extended into the housing. It will be readily seen that when the train carried mechanism engages the trip lever and moves the lever forwardly that the shaft 38 will be rotated through the medium of the toothed segment 31 and gear 39 causing a rotary movement to be transmitted to the shafts 21 and 22 and subsequently the gear wheel 5 which operates as previously described to throw the switch into open or closed position as the case may be. l Vhen the trip lever in the mechanism 41 is moved from the left hand side of the housing to the right and the switch is thrown into open position, the trip lever in the mechanism 1 will be moved from the right hand or far side of the casing to the left hand side in tion and the lever in the mechanism 4 also 2.2

thrown back into forwardor operative position. The trip lever 32 is to be locked in either position in order that the switch is locked accordingly. An arcuate bar 42 is secured to the side wall of the housing and has its ends spaced from the end edges of the top wall and so arranged as to coiiperate with locking mechanism to be further more fully described.

Slidably mounted in a vertical plane upon one face of the trip lever 32 in a housing 43 and brackets 44 is a locking bar 45 that is provided upon its inner face with a right angularly extending locking lug 46 which engages under the under face of the bar 42, normally and is designed to engage the end faces of the bar 42 in order that the trip lever 32 is locked at either end of the bar, or in extended position on both sides of the housing. The housing 43 is disposed upon one side of the trip lever 32 so that the lug.46 may operate slidably in engagement with the under face of the bar 42 when the lever is moved. An expansion helical spring 47 is mounted within the housing 43 and is so connected with the bar that the bar is forced outwardly or upwardly at all times,a collar being preferably carried upon the bar to be engaged on its under face by the upper end of the spring. As a means for unlocking the locking means, I provide on one side of the trip lever 32 at the upper end thereof pivoted trip plates 48 and 49. Each of the plates is pivoted adjacent to its lower end to the lever 32 by suitable pivot pins 50 and is so disposed as to be engaged by the train carried mechanism 4 and moved prior to the movement of the lever 32 itself. Links 51 connect theintermediate portions of the plates 48 and 49 to the locking bar 45. The links 51 are connected in such a manner that when the plates 48 and 49 are moved inwardly or engaged by the train carried mechanism 4, the bar 45 will be pushed downwardly against the tension of the spring 47 and out of locking position, that is, downwardly so that the lug 46 is moved out of engagement with the free end of the bar 42.

As a means for unlocking both of the levers 32 in the mechanisms 4 and 4 when a train engages one of the mechanisms, for instance, the one 4, I provide a wire or other suitable flexible element 52 that is secured at one end as at 53 to the lower end of the bar 45 and passed over a roller or pulley 54 that is arranged adjacent one of the lon gitudinal edges of the lever 32 and located abovethe lower end of the bar 45.

As shown in the diagrammatic view in Fig. 8 of the drawings, the wire 52 has one end connected to the lower end of the bar 45 and the said wire is passed over the pulley 54 and down and around a pulley 59 located a distance below the lower end of the bar 45 and is then directed diagonally and passed over a pulley 56 located adjacent one of the side walls of the housing, and out through a suitable pipe 57 which leads to the mechanism 4". The other end of the wire 52 is extended from the pipe 57 and passed over a pulley 56 and extended into the housing for the mechanism 4 and passed over a pulley 59 carried by the lever 32 located adjacent the lower end of the lever and the terminals of the mentioned end of the wire has direct connection with the lower I end'of the locking bar 45 for the lever 32 in the operating mechanism 4*.

Assuming that the levers 32 and 32, of the operating mechanism 4 and 4 are in the positions shown in Fig. 8 and it is desired to switch a train from the main line onto the siding, the train carried operating mechanism 4, hereinafter to be fully described, is operated to eifect engagement between the operating mechanism and the adjacent trip plate 49, carried by the upper end of the lever 32, causing the bar 45 to move downwardly and withdraw the lug 46 out of locking engagement with the bar 42, and causing downward pull onthat end of the wire which is secured to the bar 45 in the operating mechanism 4*, resulting in the wire 52 pulling downwardly on the locking bar 45 in the operating mechanism 4 so as to unlock the lever 32 of the said operating mechanism 4'. WVhen the locking bars 45 and 45, of the operating mechanisms 4 and 4 are in unlocking position, the further movement of the train on the main line, will cause the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4 to be moved from the left hand side of the housing to the right hand side thereof, and through the medium of the segments 34, 39, gears 40 and 41, the connected shafts 29, 26, 22, and the beveled gear 20 and the gear 5 will cause the rod 9 to move the switch points-3 to operative posi; tion. WVhen the gear 5 is rotated, to move the switch point to operative position, the said gear will, through the medium of the beveled gear 19, shaft 21 and the intermeshing engagement between the segments on the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4 and the beveled gear mounted on the adjacent end of the shaft 21, cause the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4 to move from the right hand side of the housing to the left hand side thereof. When the levers 32 and 32, of the operating mechanisms 4 and 4 are moved from either side of their re spective housings, they are locked in posithe same with too much force.

from the main line, or the siding, an additional wire 58, is employed. This wire has one end connected to the lower end of the bar as, on the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4', and the wire is extended up wardly and passed over a pulley 59 on'the said lever 32 and. then extended downwardly and passed around a pulley 59 and then extended diagonally and passed around the pulley 56, which is mounted on one of the side walls of the housing, and then extended outwardly throughthe said side walls and through the pipe 57 and into the housing for the operating mechanism t and upwardly and around the pulley 59 and then connected to the lower end of the locking bar 4E5, for the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4*. When the train enters the siding, the train carried operating mechanism 4 will engage the adjacent pivoted plate 48, at the upper end of the operating lever 32, in the mechanism a, and cause the bar as to move downwardly and draw the adjacent end of the wire 58 downwardly, resulting in the opposite end of the wire drawing the locking bar 45, for the lever 32 of the operating mechanism 4- downwardly to inoperative position. The further travel of the train on the siding will move the lever 32, of the operating mechanism a from the left of the housing to the right side of the housing, and through the medium of the shaft 21, gear 5, shafts 22, 26 and 29 will cause the return of the switch points 3 to in operative position, and the return of the lever 32, for the operating mechanism 4, to normal position.

I provide outwardly extending lugs 60 on opposite sides of the lever 32 and below the plates 48 and 49, which serve to limit the downward movement of the train carried mechanism relative to the lever which might result in the derangement thereof. I also provide expansion springs 61 that are carried by abutments 61 arranged interiorly on either side of the housing in such position as to engage the side of the lever when the same is in locked position so that the locking lug will be held into locked engagement with the end of the bar 42. The springs also serve to cushion the shock of the lever 32 should it be moved rapidly or a train strike I provide slidable closure plates 62 arranged on opposite sides of the lever and designed to fit closely in engagement with the under face of the curved wall 86 in such manner that the slot 35 therein will be closed at all times and the gearing and other mechanism within the housing protected against the elements.

The train carried mechanism consists of a horizontal rack bar 63 that is slidable transversely of the train, preferably the 10- comotive so as to be accessible to the engineer or fireman, in suitable brackets 64. A

vertical rotary shaft 65 journaled in suitable bearings or brackets 66 is provided at its lower end with a gear 67 which meshes with the gear teeth on the rack bar 63. A gear wheel '68 is carried adjacent the upper end of the vertical shaft 65 and is arranged to cooperate with a pivoted operating lever 69 that is enlarged adjacent to its lower and pivoted end as at 70 and forms a toothed segment 71 which cooperates with the gear 68 in such manner that when the lever is oscillated or moved in one direction, the shaft 65 will rotate and cause the rack bar 63 to slide transversely of the train. Carried at the outer end of the rack bar- 63 is a depending shoe designated 72 as an entirety that is designed to engage the trip levers and cooperating parts of the track carried mechanism. This mechanism includes a depending bar 74 that is provided intermediate its ends with lateral flanges 75 arranged on opposite sides thereof. An approximately V-shaped lever engaging member formed in the nature of a plate 76 is pivoted at its upper end as at 77 to a lower reduced part of the bar 74 in such manner that the .member 76 is disposed below the bar and is pivoted centrally of its side edges thereto so as to be free to swing or move either backward or forward. elical expansion springs 78 are arranged between the larger end of the plate or member 7 6 and the lateral flanges 75 with their ends in engagement with the flanges and larger end in such manner that when the member 76 is oscillated the springs will return said member to normal position. The smaller or apex end of the member 76 is arranged lowermost and is provided with an anti-friction roller 79 on its lower end. This roller 79 is so arranged as to engage the plates 48 and 49 on the levers 82 and eliminates possibility of breakage or derangement and the force of the impact is relieved through the medium of the rotatable element or roller 79 and the yielding action afforded by the springs 78.

Vhen it is desired some member of the trains crew may by manipulation of the operating lever 69 of the train carried mechanism move the rack bar 63 in such position that the shoe 7 2 is in an out of the way position and will not engage the track carried mechanism. This is done when the train is to follow the same track and not cooperate with thetrack carried mechanism so as to move upon the siding track.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efficient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as set forth.

What is claimed is 1. Automatic switch throwing apparatus including a rotatable element, a switch, means connecting the rotatable element with the switch whereby the switch is moved into open and closed position upon the rotation of the rotatable element, and means arranged alongside of the track in front and rear of the switch and operatively connected with the rotatable element to be engaged and moved by a train whereby the switch is first moved from open into closed position and then back into open position and means for locking said last named means when the switch is in open and in closed position.

2. In automatic switch throwing apparatus, the combination with a railway switch of a rotary gear having concaved side faces and beveled gear teeth formed in the concaved side faces, means connecting the gear wheel with the switch whereby the switch is moved into open and closed position upon the rotation of the gear wheel, rotatable shafts extending outwardly from opposite sides of the gear wheel, beveled gears carried on certain ends of the rotatable shafts and cooperating with the gear teeth in the concaved faces of the gear wheel, means carried in advance and at the rear of the gear wheel and switch to be engaged and moved by a train to bring about rotation of said shafts, and means connecting said shafts with said last named means.

3. In automatic switch throwing, the combination with a railroad switch of a rotatable element, means connecting the rotatable element with the switch whereby the switch is moved into open and closed position upon the rotation of the rotatable element, housings arranged alongside ofthe track in the front and rear of the switch, trip levers pivoted within the housings and having segmental gear teeth on their lower ends, a plurality of rotatable shafts operatively connected with the rotatable element, gear wheels on the shafts to cooperate with the segmental toothed portions of the trip levers, locking bars carried by the trip levers to lock the trip levers in either extended position when the switch is in open and closed position, spring means to normally hold said locking bar in such position that it will lock when the switch is in open and closed position, pivoted members arranged on opposite sides of the trip levers at their upper ends thereof to be engaged and moved by the train prior to the movement of the trip levers, links connecting the pivoted elements with the locking bars to move the locking bars downwardly against the tension of the springs and out of locking position when the pivoted members are engaged and moved by the train, said shafts and gearing being arranged so that one of the levers is moved in the opposite direction to the movement of the other lever and simultaneously therewith and means operatively connecting the locking bars with each other whereby the levers are unlocked simultaneously.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. WILSON. Witnesses:

ALLEN KENWORTHY, J ONAS W. BERKEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 17. G." i 

